India-Uzbekistan joint military training exercise to start today in Pithoragarh
Monday, 20 February 2023 | PNS | BAGESHWAR
As part of the military-to-military exchange program between the Indian Army and the Uzbekistan Army, the 4th edition of the biennial training exercise DUSTLIK (2023) will be conducted from February 20 to March 5 at Pithoragarh. The Indian contingent in this bilateral exercise will be represented by the 14th battalion of the Garhwal Rifles of the Western Command and the Uzbekistan Army will be represented by troops from the North Western Military District of the Uzbekistan Army.
The objective of this joint exercise is to enhance military capability to conduct multi domain operations in a sub-conventional scenario under United Nations mandate. Earlier the Exercise Planning Conference (EPC) for DUSTLIK-2023 was held at Pithoragarh from January 10 to 12 and was attended by a delegation of three members including an officer from the Defense Cooperation Division led by a colonel of the Indian Army. Army contingents selected for the said exercise are put through a rigorous training programme which includes firing, combat conditioning, tactical operations, special operations house clearance/room intervention drill, supervised explosive device operation and rock craft.
The joint exercise will focus on sub-conventional operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under UN mandate. The training will mainly focus on high level of physical fitness, sharing of drills at tactical level, conducting special operations and learning best practices from each other. The objective of the exercise is to enhance understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies. The exercise will culminate in a 48-hour long verification exercise involving neutralisation of armed persons in a semi-urban area.
